Kodak Ektar 25 PHR 120

[bigrue]

I would like to know if there is anyone is still using the Kodak Ektar 25 PHR

120n film. I still have a few rolls left and I found to be one of the finest

grain film out there in the market. I hope to find a lab to process the C-41

film. Kodak should never stop producing the film. Rufus Watson

[ilkka_nissila]

It has the finest grain obviously, but it was discontinued many years ago. Finding a C-41 lab should not be a problem. Reportedly Ektar 25 had a very high reject rate and so it became too expensive to make.

[joe_manthey1]

Is "very high reject rate" a euphemism for too few customers?

[ilkka_nissila]

No, AFAIK Kodak had to reject most of the film they made because of quality issues.

[25asa]

I still have 3 rolls of this stuff. I don't know what Im going to use it on. Ilkka is correct that the film was very hard to produce and had the majority of the films not pass quality control. Between that and its slow sales the film was cancelled. Buying it today passed expiration date is risky too because it doesn't keep very well on 50% or so of the rolls out there.

[rainer_nagel]

speaking of low speed niche films also look at slide films:

 

ILFOCHROME MICROGRAPHIC microphoto 35mm tungsten slide film

 

proprietary chemical process: Ilford P-5

Type M,

color slide film

 

tungsten 3200K, 1 ASA speed, 365 LP/mm at contrast 1:1000, RMS 6

 

As of Sep 2006 according to Ilford Germany the film is available in 35mm bulk perforated 30m rolls.

MTF 50 percent is 100 LP/mm (!)

This weird film seems to exist since a couple of years.

 

I have some PHR 120 size in the freezer myself, but must confess that I shoot Kodak 400UC... and try out a lot

--rainer

[joe_manthey1]

"No, AFAIK Kodak had to reject most of the film they made because of quality issues."

 

This isn't correct. Ektar/RG 25 shared relatively few components with other films, so its very low sales volume made it difficult to produce economically. There weren't any significant quality issues that caused large amounts of film rejection.

[ilkka_nissila]

Joe, do you / did you work for Kodak on the film?

[joe_manthey1]

I was a member of the design team for this film.

[25asa]

Joe,

How hard would it be for Kodak to produce today a 100 speed film with the same grain size of Ektar 25? I believe it was PGI 25. Or could they come close to it today? Kodak is soarly missing a 100 speed Reala competitor with very fine grain. They haven't had a PGI 27-28 film since RG 100 and Supra 100 left. The best they can do now is PGI 32.

[joe_manthey1]

I also miss Supra 100 and particularly PRN. A few of us unsuccessfully argued for continuation of a true 100 speed, professional-type film. Unfortunately, the marketplace didn't support the investment required for that kind of film, and I would guess that it certainly doesn't now. (I haven't worked at Kodak for a couple of years.) Remember that Reala was introduced in the late '80s and modified in the early '90s, so it costs Fuji little to keep on producing it as long as there's sufficient market. Creating a new film is much more costly venture.

[rainer_nagel]

Dear Joe Manthey

 

I recently could get a box of old Supra 100 (35mm only) but I guess a blow up 20x30" cannot match any 120 size film? However, at least it has more exposure lattidude than Ektar 25.

 

I recently got also (european/german) Kodak Ektacolor Pro Gold 100HC 120 [GPH], was this later the same as the US PRN 100 ??

 

Thank you, rainer Nagel<div></div>

[joe_manthey1]

Rainer,

 

For an answer to your first question, you would need to specify the 120 film. Supra 100 would be better than some -- worse than others.

 

Regarding your second question, I don't know what Ektacolor Pro Gold 100HC is other than it's probably an existing film renamed by the European marketing organization for their particular market. The "HC" probably stands for high contrast, which suggests to me that it's a film not normally preferred by folks who frequent this website. It most likely had a specific application in the European region.

 

Let's agree to end this off-topic discussion here.

[rainer_nagel]

European Pro Gold 100HC had a PGI rating of:

below 25 at 2.6x, PGI 36 at 4.4x, 56 at 8.8x. In Europe it was available only in 120 size and all sheet film sizes 9x12cm, 4x5 inch, 13x18cm, 8x10 inch. => looks too grainy for beeing related to Ektar film family.

 

anyway. Regarding EKTAR 25 PHR, are unexposed emulsions back from 1991 or 1993 still out of the freezer still good or just for trash?

 

and cold stored in a normal cooler?

 

what was the specifed behavior? Has the design team paid regard of this? thank you very much,

rainer Nagel

[teknikal_pan]

Rufus,

 

I am using, very sparingly, the 35mm version of the film.

 

I have a bunch of rolls that I picked up from ebay and the first one I shot turned out

beautifully, although it expired in 1991. But it had been frozen since then.

 

Vibrant, saturated reds with a distinct punch I haven't seen in any color print film out there

today.

 

I had the film developed by a pro lab just to be sure. I wouldn't trust Walmart or any place

of that nature with it, not with what it cost me anyway : )

[reuben_c]

<blockquote><hr><i>Regarding EKTAR 25 PHR, are unexposed emulsions back from 1991 or 1993 still out of the freezer still good or just for trash?</i><hr></blockquote>

I've used Ektar 25 that was ten years out of date, stored at room temperature, with excellent results. Looked good as new. Truly amazing film, but, like apparently <i>all</I> truly amazing films, it's entered the RIP zone.

[25asa]

I'll have to see how my 3 rolls of Ektar 25 have held up. Im saving them for that special shoot I haven't figured out yet. Something that will shine with this film.

[edward_chang1]

Hi,

 

I found this thread and I was wondering if perhaps someone can tell me if Ektar 25 would still be any good. I recently found 20 35mm rolls in my parents fridge that I've been storing there since high school which was about 8 years ago now. Is this film any good? I haven't shot film in a while.

 

Thanks,

Ed